The invention pertains to protective headgear. More particularly, the invention relates to helmets designed for easy removal after injury to the wearer.
Various types of helmets have been developed for protection of the wearer. Nearly all provide some degree of cushioning from impacts and shock resistance and many incorporate novel systems to provide for ease of removal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,513 issued to Sharmat et al provides for a helmet that splits along a vertical axis, having a hinge at the top portion of the helmet and fastening means at either side.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,495 issued to Holley, discloses a motorcycle helmet designed to split along a central vertical plane running from the front to the rear of the helmet. The design is intended to provide a helmet that can be easily stored in a narrow space, such as a motorcycle saddlebag. U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,367, issued to Rush III discloses a one-piece helmet combined with an inflatable protective means attached to the lower circumference of the helmet. The protective means is instantly inflated upon impact with the crown of the helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,005 is sued to Willis does not include a helmet, but rather employs a series of inflatable flaps that are inflated by a gas cylinder or manually by mouth when so desired by the wearer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,089 issued to Beale describes a hard hat that splits along a horizontal axis, requiring a series of fasteners along the joint between the upper and lower portions of the hard hat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,161 issued to Littler includes a one-piece helmet with manually inflatable collar attached to the lower circumference of the helmet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,084 issued to Martin discloses an inflatable safety collar that is actuated by a ripcord fastened to the vehicle of the user.
While other variations exist, the above-described designs for protective headgear are typical of those encountered in the prior art. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a helmet that will protect the wearer from impacts, punctures, crushing and abrasive forces. It is a further objective to provide a helmet that may be quickly and easily removed from the head with minimum injury to the wearer. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a means for stabilizing the neck of the helmet wearer with respect to his head and body in the event of an accident. It is yet a further objective to provide a means to determine the appropriate time to deploy such stabilizing means based upon the relative position of the helmet wearer with respect to his vehicle. Finally, it is an objective of the invention to provide means to easily remove the stabilizing means when required for further care of the wearer.
While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.
The present invention addresses many of the deficiencies of prior art protective headgear and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
A helmet providing the desired features may be constructed from the following components. A rigid, outer shell is provided. The outer shell includes a front portion and a mating rear portion. Each of the front and rear portions have a lower surrounding edge. The front portion includes an opening to provide forward visibility for a wearer. Means are provided for removably attaching the front portion to the rear portion. A resilient, padded inner liner is provided. The liner includes a first portion and a mating second portion. The first portion is sized and shaped to fit within the front portion of the outer shell. The second portion is sized and shaped to fit within the rear portion of the outer shell. Means are provided for securing the helmet to a head of the wearer.
In a variant of the invention, the means for removably attaching the front portion to the rear portion further includes a series of mating orifices in the front portion and in the rear portion. The orifices are located adjacent to an intersection between the front portion and the rear portion. A flexible cable is provided. The cable has a first predetermined cross-section, a first end and a second end and is sized and shaped to fit slidably through the mating orifices. The cable is threaded through the mating orifices and secures the front portion to the rear portion. Means are provided for removably attaching the first end to the second end. Means are provided for withdrawing the cable from the mating orifices. When the first end of the cable is detached from the second end, the cable may be withdrawn from the mating orifices and the front portion separated from the rear portion.
In a further variant, the means for removably attaching the first end of the cable to the second end includes first and second cable terminators. Each of the cable terminators has a first end, a second end and a cross-section no larger than the first predetermined cross-section. The first cable terminator is fixedly attached at its first end to the first end of the flexible cable and the second cable terminator is fixedly attached at its first end to the second end of the flexible cable. Each of the second ends of the first and second cable terminators includes a notch.
A retaining clip is provided. The retaining clip is formed of rigid material, has a U-shaped cross-section, is sized and shaped to fit frictionally over the cable terminators and includes a pair of protruding tabs. The tabs are sized, shaped, and located to removably engage the notches in the second ends of the terminators. When the second ends of the first and second cable terminators are placed adjacent each other and the retaining clip is pressed downwardly over the terminators, with the protruding tabs engaging the notches in the second ends of the cable terminators, the first and second cable ends will be removably attached.
In yet another variant of the invention, the means for removably attaching the first end of the cable to the second end includes first and second cable terminators. Each of the cable terminators has a first end, a second end and a cross-section no larger than the first predetermined cross-section. The first cable terminator is fixedly attached at its first end to the first end of the flexible cable and the second cable terminator is fixedly attached at its first end to the second end of the flexible cable. Each of the second ends of the first and second cable terminators includes a central stem and a securing portion attached to the stem.
A retaining clip is provided. The retaining clip is formed of rigid material, has a U-shaped cross-section, is sized and shaped to fit frictionally over the cable terminators and includes two pair of protruding tabs. The tabs are sized, shaped, and located to removably surround the central stems of the second ends of the cable terminators, drawing the securing portions of the terminators together. When the second ends of the first and second cable terminators are placed adjacent each other and the retaining clip is pressed downwardly over the terminators, with the protruding tabs surrounding the central stems of the second ends of the cable terminators, the first and second cable ends will be removably attached.
In still another variant, the means for removably attaching the first end of the cable to the second end includes an adhesive container. The container is sized and shaped to constrain the first end of the cable in close proximity to the second end of the cable. An adhesive is provided. The adhesive is poured into the adhesive container and over the first and second ends of the cable and allowed to dry. When the adhesive has dried, the first and second ends of the cable will be removably attached until sufficient tension is directed to separate the first end of the cable from the second end of the cable and the adhesive fails to grip either of the first and second ends of the cable.
In yet another variant of the invention, the means for removably attaching the front portion to the rear portion includes a series of mating, overlapping panels. The overlapping panels are fixedly attached to the front portion and the rear portion adjacent the intersection between the front and rear portions. The mating, overlapping panels serve to increase structural strength of the helmet and provide improved weather sealing.
In yet a further variant, the first and mating second portions of the resilient, padded inner liner include mating, interlocking edges, thereby providing improved weather sealing.
In still a further variant, the helmet includes a flexible, inflatable collar. The collar is removably attached to the lower surrounding edge of the front and rear portions of the rigid shell. Means are provided for rapidly inflating the collar as are means for deflating the collar. When the collar is inflated it will provide increased stability for the head and neck of the wearer by bearing against shoulders of the wearer.
In another variant of the invention, the means for rapidly inflating the collar and the means for deflating the collar include a pressurized gas cylinder, a control valve connected to the cylinder and tubing connecting the control valve to the inflatable collar. The cylinder contains sufficient gas to fully inflate the collar. The control valve includes a pressure relief valve and is capable of maintaining pressure in the collar until the relief valve is activated. Means are provided for activating the control valve.
In yet another variant, the means for activating the control valve further includes a position sensing system. The system is capable of determining if a helmet wearer""s vehicle is in motion and a relative position of the helmet with respect to the vehicle. The system is capable of opening the control valve to inflate the collar upon sensing that the wearer""s vehicle is in motion and the helmet is not within a first predetermined distance of the vehicle. The head and neck of the helmet wearer will be stabilized by the inflated collar in the event the wearer is separated from the vehicle by the first predetermined distance while the vehicle is in motion.
In still another variant, the helmet further includes means for rapidly removing the flexible cable to separate the front portion of the helmet from the rear portion.
In a yet another variant of the invention, the means for rapidly removing the flexible cable includes a first removable access panel. The first access panel covers the means for removably attaching the first end of the cable to the second end and a second removable access panel covers a portion of the flexible cable and an indentation in one of the front and rear portions of the helmet. The indentation provides means to apply tension to the cable for its removal.
In a further variant, the means for removably attaching the front portion to the rear portion of the helmet further includes a series of mating orifices in the front portion and in the rear portion. The orifices are located adjacent an intersection between the front portion and the rear portion. A flexible cable is provided. The cable has a first predetermined cross-section a first end and a second end. The cable is sized and shaped to fit slidably through the mating orifices. The cable is threaded through the mating orifices and secures the front portion to the rear portion. Means are provided for removably attaching the first end to either of the front and rear portions of the rigid, outer shell. Means are provided for applying tension to the second end of the cable and withdrawing the cable from the mating orifices. When the first end of the cable is detached from the shell, the cable may be withdrawn from the mating orifices and the front portion separated from the rear portion.
In still a further variant, the means for removably attaching the first end of the cable to rigid, outer shell includes a cable terminator. The cable terminator has a first end, a second end and a cross-section no larger than the first predetermined cross-section. The cable terminator is fixedly attached at its first end to the first end of the flexible cable. The second end of the cable terminator includes a notch.
A retaining clip is provided. The retaining clip has a first end and a second end. The retaining clip is fixedly attached at its first end to the rigid outer shell. The retaining clip is formed of rigid material, has a U-shaped cross-section, is sized and shaped to fit frictionally about the cable terminator. The retaining clip includes a pair of protruding tabs. The tabs are sized, shaped, and located to removably engage the notch in the second end of the terminator. When the cable terminator is pressed into the second end of the retaining clip, with the protruding tabs engaging the notch in the second end of the cable terminator, the first end of the cable will be removably attached to the shell.
In another variant of the invention, the means for removably attaching the first end of the cable to the rigid, outer shell includes a cable terminator. The cable terminator has a first end, a second end and a cross-section no larger than the first predetermined cross-section. The cable terminator is fixedly attached at its first end to the first end of the flexible cable. The second end of the cable terminator includes a central stem and a securing portion attached to the stem.
A retaining clip is provided. The retaining clip has a first end and a second end. The retaining clip is fixedly attached at its first end to the rigid outer shell. The retaining clip is formed of rigid material, has a U-shaped cross-section, is sized and shaped to fit frictionally about the cable terminator. The retaining clip includes a pair of protruding tabs. The tabs are sized, shaped, and located to removably surround the central stem of the second end of the cable terminator. When the cable terminator is pressed into the second end of the retaining clip, with the protruding tabs surrounding the central stem of the second end of the cable terminator, the first end of the cable will be removably attached to the shell.
In still another variant, the means for removably attaching the first end of the cable to the rigid, outer shell includes an adhesive container. The container has a first end and a second end and is fixedly attached at its first end to the rigid, outer shell. The second end of the container is sized and shaped to constrain the first end of the cable. An adhesive is provided. The adhesive is poured into the second end of the adhesive container and over the first end of the cable and allowed to dry. When the adhesive has dried, the first end of the cable will be removably attached to the rigid, outer shell until sufficient tension is directed to the second end of the cable to separate the first end of the cable from the adhesive container, thereby permitting removal of the cable from the helmet.
In yet another variant, the means for removably attaching the front portion of the helmet to the rear portion includes a series of mating orifices in the front portion and in the rear portion. The orifices are located adjacent an intersection between the front portion and the rear portion. A flexible cable is provided. The cable has a first predetermined cross-section, a first end and a second end and is sized and shaped to fit slidably through the mating orifices.
At least one securing latch is provided. The securing latch has a first portion, a mating second portion and means for removably attaching the first portion to the second portion, thereby securing the front portion of the helmet to the rear portion. The first portion has an inner end and an outer end and is fixedly attached to the front portion of the shell. The second portion has an inner end and an outer end and is fixedly attached to the rear portion of the shell. The first and second portions including mating openings that are collinear when the first portion is located adjacent the second portion. The cable is threaded through the mating orifices and the mating openings. The cable includes means for unfastening the means for removably attaching the first portion of the securing latch to the second portion.
Means are provided for removably attaching the first end of the cable to the rigid shell as are means for withdrawing the cable from the mating orifices and the mating openings. When the first end of the cable is detached from the rigid shell, the cable may be withdrawn from the mating orifices and the mating openings, thereby unfastening the means for removably attaching the first portion of the securing latch to the second portion and permitting the front portion of the helmet to be separated from the rear portion.
In still another variant of the invention, the means for removably attaching the first portion of the securing latch to the second portion and the means for unfastening the means for removably attaching the first portion of the securing latch to the second portion includes a pivot pin. The pivot pin is fixedly attached to the second portion between its inner end and its outer end perpendicular to a long axis of the second portion. A latching element is provided. The latching element has a first end, a second end, a first edge, a second edge, a top surface, a bottom surface and an orifice extending from the first edge to the second edge. The latching element is rotatably mounted at the orifice to the pivot pin.
A resilient engaging finger is provided. The finger extends downwardly from the bottom surface of the latching element. A receiving notch is provided. The notch is located in the first portion between its inner end and its outer end so as to frictionally engage the resilient finger when the latching element is rotated to a first, closed position. An unfastening protrusion extends downwardly from the bottom surface of the latching element and is located to obscure a portion of the mating openings when the latching element is rotated to the first, closed position.
A dislodging element is provided. The dislodging element has a cross-section greater that the first predetermined cross-section, and is capable of fitting slidably within the mating openings in the securing latch. The dislodging element is fixedly attached to the flexible cable at a point where the dislodging element will pass through the mating openings of the securing latch when the cable is withdrawn from the helmet. The dislodging element bears upon the unfastening protrusion as the cable is withdrawn from the helmet, thereby causing the latching element to pivot upwardly to a second, open position dislodging the resilient engaging finger from the receiving notch. This permits the first portion of the securing latch to be separated from the second portion and the front portion of the helmet to be separated from the rear portion.
In a final variant of the invention, the first removable access panel further includes at least one tensioning element. The tensioning element is attached to an underside of the first access panel and is sized, shaped and located to engage a portion of the flexible cable. The tensioning element imparts tension to the cable while securing the first access panel to the helmet.
An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of a preferred embodiment.